Background & aims: The increased prevalence of obesity worldwide threatens the pool of potential living liver donors. While the negative effects of graft steatosis on liver donation and transplantation is well known, the impact of obesity in the absence of hepatic steatosis on outcome of living donation and transplantation remains unclear.

Methods: We compared in a single center study the outcome of living liver donation and transplantation using donors with a BMI<30kg/m² vs donors with a BMI ≥30 but equal or less than 35 (BMI>30kg/m²).

Results: Between April 2000 -May 2014, 105 patients received a right lobe liver graft from donors with a BMI≥30kg/m², while 364 recipients were transplanted with grafts from donors with a BMI<30kg/m². Liver steatosis >10% was excluded in all donors with a BMI>30kg/m² by imaging and protocol liver biopsies. None of the donors had any other comorbidity. Donors with a BMI<30 vs. BMI≥30kg/m² had similar peak serum AST, ALT and ALP but lower levels of bilirubin (25+20[mu]mol/l vs 32+23[mu]mol/l;p=0.02), and higher INR at day 7 (1.6+0.59 vs 1.52+0.54;p=0.023). There was no difference in post-operative complications (Dindo-Clavien ≥3b: 2% vs 3%;p=0.71), or length of hospital stay between both donor groups. Recipient graft function, assessed by post-transplant peak serum bilirubin and INR was identical. Furthermore, no difference was observed in recipient's complications rate (Dindo-Clavien ≥3b: 25% vs 20%; p=0.3) or length of hospital between groups.

Conclusions: We conclude that a donor BMI ≥30kg/m², in the absence of graft steatosis, is not a contraindication for live liver donation.

CITATION INFORMATION: Goldaracena N, Doyle A, Al-Adra D, Sapisochin G, Cattral M, Greig P, Lilly L, McGilvray I, Ghanekar A, Grant D, Selzner N, Selzner M. A Donor BMI Greater Than 30 Is Not a Contraindication for Live Liver Donation. Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).

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